Hi
I’m Teresa. I teach Business English in Malaysia and I do find your website extremely useful. The younger generation of Malaysian struggle with English as education is conducted in the malay medium.
Hi Teresa
Do you work teaching young people?
Hi guys,
I need to prepare a short speech about myself…could anyone assist in upgrading my speech with better adjectives, anecdotes or just to convert it to a higher quality…? I am in need of english practise. Thank you.
My name is Stanny Albo. I was born on 29 October 1977 in the suburb of Vanguard Estate. According to my family, I was named after a popular local actor who appeared on television in 1977.
There is not much I can remember about the first three years of my life, but what I vividly remember is my childhood years spent in Riverlands and Grassy Park. Riverlands is mainly a rural and agricultural area, which is located a short distance past Atlantis along the N7 National Road.
I attended Riverlands Primary school from Grade 1 to Grade 7. We lived quite a distance from school, which meant long walks to and back from school, but these walks were made exciting by the stories that were told by cousins and friends along the way.
In the afternoons after school, my cousins and I would do our daily chores, which would generally include fetching water from the dam, attending to the cattle, while Bob Marley’s Buffalo Soldier and David Kramer’s Royal Hotel would provide some inspiration.
Certain days we would play two-a-side rugby, which just like on a Saturday, would typically be between Western Province and the much feared rivals Northern Transvaal. O how I long for those good old days.
After successfully completing my primary school years, I enrolled at Grassy Park High School. In Grassy Park I lived with my grandmother, uncle and aunt, who together served as good role models. My uncle would always be willing to assist with my homework; my aunt would always take on picnics and hiking expeditions, while my granny would provide some delicious biscuits for those long study sessions.
My years spent in Grassy Park were particularly interesting…I belonged to 1st Plumstead Scouts Club, the chess club at school and while in Grade 8 I also took part in our school concert, where I sang the Ricardo’s hit song ‘Daddy’. I can still picture the huge smile on my Grandma’s face and my friends talking about it till long after.
Afternoons would be spent playing soccer, cricket, rugby and tennis with my friends. The type of sport played at a specific time, would typically depend on the season and also on what is being played and shown on television. Can you imagine every kid wanting to be Hansie Cronje, Allan Donald, Eric Cantona, Robbie Fowler Adrian Kuiper, Francois Pienaar…oh those were the good old days.
I matriculated in 1995 whereafter I completed my diploma in Architecture at what was then known as Peninsula Technicon. Today I am married and the proud father of two beautiful, but sometimes stressful children called Evan and Leah.
Through my current day experiences I realize how important, wonderful and valuable my childhood days were. I really appreciate all the effort that has gone into moulding who I am and am looking forward to sharing my experiences with my children.
Can help - please let me have details as to which audience the speech is directed - but would love to help
Hi Ebony,
Thanks for taking the time.
It is an introductary speech, introducing myself to the Toastmasters club.
Apart from gaining confidence, it is also vital to improve my grammar, so thanks for your time.
Regards,
Stanny
Sorry Stanny,
I hit the wrong button so maybe you have an empty message - my speciality in teaching English is “Presentation English” in which I also teach you to project your voice, stand and speak directly to the audience. I am in Berlin Germany and feel that such an important speech should be correctly “delivered”.
I will write out an outline speech for your based on what you have told me and will email that back to you tonight - is this alright? We can discuss any questions you have or additional information you want to add - take out after I have sent you the first draft.
Regards,
Norma
Please see below a rewritten speech and a revised speech -
I LIVED AND GREW UP IN VANGUARD ESTATE ……………… AS AN ARCHITECT BY PROFESSION AND A LOVER OF ALL BOYS SPORTS? I THINK THAT I HAD A GOOD CHILDRHOOD WHICH GAVE THE GROUND FOR THIS LIFELONG JOURNEY THAT WAS AHEAD OF ME. I WAS SURROUNDED BY LOVE MY MOTHER, MY FATHER, MY GRANDMOTHER, MY GRANDFATHER AND A HOST OF COUSINS WHO ALL LOVE, SUPPORTED AND GUIDED ME INTO THE MAN I AM TODAY – THANKYOU ALL.
I AM SAYING THIS BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT A GOOD CHILDHOOD IS – I AM THE PRODUCT OF ONE. I WAS INVOLVED IN WEEKEND SPORTS, THE USUAL AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS, THE CHESS CLUB ………………………………. On some days we would play two-a-side rugby, which was mostly on Saturdays . These games would typically be between Western Province and the much feared rivals Northern Transvaal. [We always won, lost or drew – state here the results of the games and put in an antedote of something you particularly remember]
GO ON TO LIST YOUR SPORT ACCOMPLISHMENTTS!!! CAN YOU IMAGINE EVERY KID WANTING TO BE HANSIE CRONJE, ALLAN DONALD, ERIC CANTONA, ROBBIE FOWLER ADRIAN KUIPER, FRANCOIS PIENAAR – WELL I CERTAINLY DID (a body gesture here would help put the point across – i.e., holding your hand up with sweeping movements etc.)
I CAN SEE BEFORE ME AN AUDIENCE WHO ALSO SHARE SOME OF THOSE MOMENTS AND KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. I AM ALSO PROUD TO BE STANDING BEFORE YOU AS A MEMBER – OR SOON TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS ASSOCIATION/CLUB [please enter here the status of the club or the name].
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MY CHILDHOOD HAS PREPARED ME FOR THIS TAKE, MY CHILDHOOD HAS SHAPED ME AS THE MAN THAT I AM TODAY A HUSBAND(?), FATHER, ARCHITECT, [NAME HERE ANOTHER TITLE] COMPASSIONATE BOSS, GOOD FRIEND [LIST YOUR TITLES HERE] AND IT IS THESE QUALITIES IN ME THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH MY TWO CHILDREN EVEN, AGED ……….AND LEAH, AGED……………… SO THAT THEY IN TURN CAN LOOK BACK AT THEIR LIVES AND SAY …. YES, I HAD A GOOD CHILDHOOD.
I AM STANNY ALBO.
My name is Stanny Albo. I was born on 29 October 1977 in the suburb of Vanguard Estate. According to my family, I was named after a popular local actor who appeared on television in 1977.
There is no need to introduce yourself in this matter – the audience will know who you are. You will have a better impact if you state at the end:-
I WAS BORN ON THE 29TH OCTOBER 1977 IN VAGUARD ESTATE A SUBURB OF AMERICA AND WAS MADE AFTER A POPULAR LOCAL TELEVISION ACTOR OF THE SAME YEAR. I AM STANNY ALBO.
There is not much I can remember about the first three years of my life, except that but what I vividly remember is my childhood years were spent in Riverlands and Grassy Park. This beautiful area Riverlands is mainly a rural and agricultural area, and is which is located a short distance past Atlantis along the N7 National Road.
I attended Riverlands Primary school from Grade 1 to Grade 7. We lived quite a distance from school, which meant long walks to and back from school, but these walks were made exciting by the stories that were told by cousins and friends along the way. YOU HAVE MENTIONED “WE” WHO IS WE, TAKE THE AUDIENCE WITH YOU INTO YOUR FAMILY SITUATION I.E., MY MOTHER AND I, MY PARENTS (mom, dad, daddy,mommy – whatever you called them - my sister/brother etc.
After school In the afternoons after school, my cousins (better to name them here – part of the pictorial tapestry and I would do our daily chores. , which These would generally include fetching water from the dam, attending to the cattle, while Bob Marley’s Buffalo Soldier and David Kramer’s Royal Hotel played in the background and would provide some inspiration.
On some Certain days we would play two-a-side rugby, which was mostly on Saturdays just like on a Saturday,. These games would typically be between Western Province and the much feared rivals Northern Transvaal. Oh how I long for those good old days.
After successfully completing my primary school years, I enrolled at Grassy Park High School. In Grassy Park I lived with my grandmother, uncle and aunt, who together served as good role models. My uncle would always be willing to assist with my homework; my aunt would always take me, us on picnics and hiking expeditions, whilste my granny would provide some delicious biscuits for those long study sessions. (long sentence – but because it is a speech have left it in.
My years spent in Grassy Park were particularly interesting…I belonged to the 1st Plumstead Scouts Club;, the chess club at school and while in Grade 8 I also took part in our school concert, where I sang the Ricardo’s hit song ‘Daddy’. I can still picture the huge smile on my Grandma’s face and my friends talking about it till long after. I felt …………………………
These aAfternoons would be spent playing soccer, cricket, rugby and tennis with my friends. The type of sport played at a specific times, would typically depend on the season and also on what is being played and shown on television. Can you imagine every kid wanting to be Hansie Cronje, Allan Donald, Eric Cantona, Robbie Fowler Adrian Kuiper, Francois Pienaar…oh again those were the good old days.
I matriculated in 1995 whereafter I completed my diploma in Architecture at what was then known as Peninsula Technicon. Today I am married and the proud father of two beautiful, but sometimes stressful children called Evan and Leah aged ………………………
Through my current day experiences I realize how important, wonderful and valuable my childhood days were. I really appreciate all the effort that has gone into moulding who I am and am looking forward to sharing my experiences with my children.
Hi Norma,
Thanks for taking the time to assist. I really like your version and appreciate the “maturity” of your speech…I could picture myself presenting it and even felt the ‘build-up’.
May I consult with you in the future…could we maybe use email addresses…mine is salberts@telkomsa.net
Thanks again.
Kind regards
Stanton
No problem - contact me via this forum.
No problem, thanks!!
Hi Norma,
Trust this mail finds you well.
This is a Toastmasters speech, which I need to prepare. The idea is to inform and inspire the audience to become involved or to follow your view point.
Would you be so kind as to assist with the grammar and any other tiems you deem necessary…?
Kind regards,
Stanny
Property Valuations - Do you get it?
Mr. Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and most welcome guests.
I glance across the room and see people who I presume are property owners. I also see a few younger faces who might soon become property owners. Investing in property is a huge step; in fact it is one of the single biggest investment decisions many of us would have to make.
With owning property come certain responsibilities and situations, one of which includes the valuation thereof. For the uncertain few, property is generally valued when we need to buy, sell, for investment purposes, municipal rates and taxes, as well as for mortgage loan purposes.
Now, when faced with this daunting task, I presume you would call on the experts like myself, but do we really understand the dynamics behind conducting a market related property valuation. Why is it that when we need to buy or sell we are happy with the assessment done by the property broker, but when the valuations for municipal rates and taxes are done, we always seem to object. I believe the time has come for us to equip ourselves with the dynamics of property valuations.
The good news is that it is fairly simple, provided we adhere to certain guidelines;
The number one rule is that valuations are done as at a specific time, e.g. the current municipal valuation roll is dated 1 July 2009.
Coupled with that is that the valuation is based on the prevailing market conditions at the time of valuation. Therefore we cannot object to a valuation that was done in 2009, simply because we consider the value to be above market in today’s economic environment. The reality is that the current market conditions differ from those experienced during July 2009.
Another factor is to consider the valuation methodology. Property valuations are done on the premise of comparable sales. The property being valued is compared to other similar properties that sold in that specific neighbourhood at the time of sale. E.g. if similar properties sold for R1, 000,000 during July 2009 and my property is similar in size, condition, and location it is likely that my property value will also be in the region of R1,000,000.
For some this might be difficult to comprehend, but guess what, for the valuer fresh from university this once upon a time was also a daunting task. This is the same valuer or property broker, who we today trust with conducting our market valuation. The only way to understand property valuations is to familiarize ourselves with it.
I therefore urge you to become involved. This can be done by contacting brokers we you see for sale boards, or property being advertised.
Questions to ask the broker would include:
What is the quality of accommodation, the number of bedrooms, the size of the property, the quality thereof, as well as added features?
Also, how long has it been on the market for? This enables us to gauge the demand – if a good product is available at a low price, it will be sold quickly, while an overpriced product or dwelling will generally be on the market for much longer. Here the guideline is 3 to 6 months. Any marketing period which spans longer than 6 months, points to an above market selling price or a poor market conditions.
Other probing questions would include whether the actual asking price is market related, and for those investors who always keen on a good deal – the ultimate question would be: Why are they selling, because if the seller finds him or herself in a difficult situation, they might be in need of an urgent sale, which generally occurs at below market prices.
These are fairly simplistic ideas and questions, which may seem difficult to comprehend, but it enables us to understand value, how it is determined, and it might just save some of us and any future investors a great deal of money and heartache.
Hi Stanny,
I do like your speech.
Really, while I was reading your speech, I was imagining your childhood . It is amazing, lovely, full of joy, happiness and energy. It’s the best thing to share with your children and give them the opportunity to live as a wonderful childhood as yours.
Hi Teresa,
I also teach Business English in Tunisia and I do agree with that this forum is really interesting. I like it very much
Hi Soumaya,
Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated!
Regards,
Stanton
Mr. Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, and last, bit not least, greetings to our most welcome guests.
As I glance across the room I see people who are property owners, I presume. In addition I also see a few younger faces who might soon become property owners. Investing in property is a gigantic step; in fact it is one of the single biggest investment decisions many of us would have to make in our life times.
The owning of property comes with certain obligations, responsibilities and situations, one of which includes the valuation thereof. For the uncertain few, property is generally valued when we need to buy, sell, or for investment purposes. In addition to the purchase costs are the municipal rates and taxes, ion addition to the mortgage loan utilised for purchasing the property.
Now, when faced with this daunting task, I presume you would call on the experts like myself, but do we really understand the dynamics behind conducting a market related property valuation? Why is it that when we need to buy or sell we are happy with the assessment done by the property broker, but when the valuations for municipal rates and taxes are done, we always seem to object. I believe the time has come for us to equip ourselves with the dynamics of property valuations.
The good news is that it is fairly simple, provided we adhere to certain guidelines;
The number one rule is that valuations are done as at a specific time, e.g. the current municipal valuation roll is dated 1 July 2009.
Coupled with that is that the valuation is based on the prevailing market conditions at the time of valuation. Therefore we cannot object to a valuation that was done in 2009, simply because we consider the value to be above market in today’s economic environment. The reality is that the current market conditions differ from those experienced during July 2009.
Another factor is to consider the valuation methodology. Property valuations are done on the premise of comparable sales. The property being valued is compared to other similar properties that sold in that specific neighbourhood at the time of sale. E.g. if similar properties sold for R1, 000,000 during July 2009 and my property is similar in size, condition, and location it is likely that my property value will also be in the region of R1,000,000.
For some this might be difficult to comprehend, but I have news for you, let me tell you that the valuer who has just finished his studies and is fresh out of university this was, once upon a time, also a daunting task. This is the same valuer or property broker, who we today trust with conducting our market valuation. The only way to understand property valuations is to familiarize ourselves with the process.
I therefore urge you to become involved. This can be done by contacting brokers we you see for sale boards, or property being advertised.
Questions to ask the broker would include:
1 What is the quality of accommodation, the number of bedrooms, the size of the property, the quality thereof, as well as added features?
2 How long has it been on the market for? This enables us to gauge the demand – if a good product is available at a low price, it will be sold quickly, while an overpriced product or dwelling will generally be on the market for much longer. Here the guideline is 3 to 6 months. Any marketing period which spans longer than 6 months, points to an above market selling price or a poor market conditions.
and 3 Whether the actual asking price is market related, and for those investors who always keen on a good deal – the ultimate question would be: Why are they selling, because if the seller finds him or herself in a difficult situation, they might be in need of an urgent sale, which generally occurs at below market prices.
These are fairly simplistic ideas and questions, which may seem difficult to comprehend, but it enables us to understand value, how it is determined, and it might just save some of us and any future investors a great deal of money and heartache.
Hi my name is Lidiya
O want to improve my English together with you I really look forward to working with my friends I want to speak by phone or Skype to Skype this is free and easy
w can improve
Don’t waist your time speak with me don’t waist your time read my letter write a letter
this is time will be together speak and speak and you can see good result.
I lived in United States 10 years but I don’t learn 10 maybe 8 I never worked with people
Thanks Ebony,
Much appreciated!
Regards,
Stan